Once Upon a Charming Family
by thistwinklingstar
Summary: AU: a Charming family story. A series of fluffy family stories. Snow/Charming/Little Emma
1. Chapter 1

**This is completely AU: a Charming family story. This will probably end up being a series of fluffy one-shots :) 'Cause that's all I need right now: pure fluff. But that's the plan for now; I'm not sure how this will turn out but let's experiment.**

**I can't help it. I love this family way too much for my own good.**

**This first chapter was inspired by Chapter 14 of my other story "Sorry and Forgiveness"**

* * *

He held his newborn daughter in his arms. She was perfect; the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. Her cheeks were flushed pink, her skin was softer than silk, and her eyes…her eyes matched the color of his beautiful wife's.

"Hi baby," James cooed, "I'm your daddy." He glanced over at his wife, looking so angelic as she slept. She had been nursing Emma for the first time and didn't want to let her baby go until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open any longer.

Emma peered back at her father with wide green eyes, tiny fingers clawing up for his. He smiled as he allowed her to try to wrap her fist around his index finger. "You're a strong one, you are," he cooed lovingly. "Just like your mother." He laughed as Emma continued to tightly coil her fingers around his own. "I love you, Emma," he continued to tell her. He was completely struck with wonderment at the bundle of life and joy that rested snugly in the nook of his arm.

Emma opened her mouth at him. He leaned in to nuzzle his nose against hers. "Huh? What's that? What are you trying to tell Daddy, huh?" Emma started to gurgle her spit and James let out a soft laugh as he reached over his wife's shoulder for a handkerchief on the night bureau. He smiled as he dabbed at her mouth gently. "You're a messy one too, aren't you?" He kissed her forehead. "Aren't you?" he repeated his baby talk.

Emma just continued to stare at her father until her tiny eyelids began drooping. James bounced his arms lightly, rocking her. "Sleep baby girl. The world will still be here to welcome you when you wake up, my love." She opened her eyes halfway to look at him once more before letting them close completely, falling into her first slumber.

James caressed her head and slowly repositioned himself on the bed so that he was lying on his back, with his baby daughter snuggled into his chest, wrapped in her knitted baby blanket. He let out a content sigh as he watched his two girls sleeping peacefully close to him. With his free hand, he reached over to sweep a loose tendril of his wife's hair into place behind her ear.

He cradled his baby protectively and dared not fall asleep himself, afraid that he would accidentally roll over if he did. So he just continued to stare at his daughter blissfully, patting her back as he listened to her tranquil sighs, feeling the comfort of her tiny chest heaving against his own. He could only wonder what first dreams she would experience.

* * *

Snow opened her eyes and looked up to see her husband lost in a trance as he gazed in complete awe and admiration at their daughter. She smiled at the beautiful image and silently reached her hand out to stroke her baby's cheek. James looked over at her with a grin and gently leaned over to kiss her full on the lips, their sleeping daughter tucked securely between them. Snow brought her hand up to brush across the scar on his jaw.

"How are you feeling?" he asked when they finally pulled apart.

"Perfect," she beamed, refusing to take her eyes off of the tiny life that rested in her husband's arms.

James smiled as he leaned back against the headboard once more and Snow scooted up to lie her head down to rest on his shoulder. He tilted his head to press a loving kiss to her temple as she continued to gently stroke Emma's soft cheek.

"I love you," he murmured, turning his gaze from his daughter to his wife.

Snow tilted her head up and propped her chin on his shoulder to return his gaze. "I love you too. I love you and Emma with all my heart."

James smiled and moved slowly to pass the sleeping infant into his wife's arms. She cradled her daughter against her, patting Emma's back soothingly.

As Snow settled back blissfully, James leaned to press another kiss to his daughter's forehead before moving his head up to press another lingering one to that of his wife's.

"I will love and protect this family with my last breath," he vowed huskily against her skin.

* * *

**Tell me what you guys think :) Should I go on with this idea of nothing but fluff?**


	2. Chapter 2

This is completely AU: a Charming family story. This will probably end up being a series of fluffy one-shots :) 'Cause that's all I need right now: pure fluff.

I can't help it. I love this family way too much for my own good.

**Wow! Thank you all for all the wonderful reviews to the first chapter. I will definitely continue this story now!**

**I made a small edit in the first chapter so go back to check it out if you want. Thanks to DCdreamer55 for pointing out that Emma has green eyes :)**

* * *

Snow was rocking her baby in the rocking chair, nursing her. "My, how hungry you are, sweetie!" she laughed. Shades of green matched each other as Emma gazed up into her mother's eyes as she continued feeding. Snow could not feel more pride in these moments. This special time that she got to spend with her daughter – nursing her, nurturing her, talking to her – motherhood was the best thing that ever happened to her. Snow smiled as she used the hand that was supporting her daughter's head to gently caress the soft nape of her baby's neck, feeling her lively pulse.

When Emma was done feeding, Snow brought her daughter up to her shoulder, patting her back lightly until the baby let out a soft but satisfying burp.

Snow then grasped her daughter under the arms and raised her above her head, leaning her head up to nuzzled her daughter's nose, sending the baby into peals of giggles. "How about we go visit Daddy, okay? Do you want to go see Daddy?" She took Emma's continued smiles and gurgles as a "yes."

So with her baby tucked in her arms, Snow made her way down the corridors of their palace, stopping along the way to acknowledge the attending knights and maids who greeted the mother-daughter pair. When she reached the hallway of James' study, she approached the door quietly, peeking in the open room to see her husband bent over his desk, quill in hand. She smiled to herself. "You see that, Emma? Daddy's hard at work."

At the sound of her voice, James raised his head to grin at his wife and daughter and within a couple strides, he made his way over to the door, extending his arms. Snow passed him Emma and James raised his baby daughter above his head, sending the infant into another round of delightful babbling. "Daddy's hard at work, indeed. But he has his two princesses to relieve him," James laughed. He then lowered Emma down to kiss her cheek before settling her to his shoulder as she snuggled her face into the familiar curve of his neck. With their daughter tucked between them, James then leaned into his wife to press a kiss to her lips.

Snow reached up to tenderly brush her thumb over his cheek. "What are you working on, Charming?"

James sighed with a weak smile. "Just some realm treaties. Although, I'd much rather be spending time with you two." Suddenly, Emma reached out her arm. "What is it, sweetheart?" James asked as he turned around to see what his daughter was pointing at and noticed her stuffed unicorn laying on the floor underneath a chair. Emma must have thrown it to the ground the last time she was in the room. She started whimpering, about to cry.

Snow reached over to rub her daughter's back. "Don't cry sweetie," she tried to soothe Emma as she made her way over to the chair and bent down to retrieve the toy. Emma reached her tiny hand out even further and Snow handed her the unicorn. The girl was immediately pacified. She began to bring the stuffed toy to her mouth when James stopped her.

"Uh oh. No, no, sweetie pie; you can't put this in your mouth. This is a stuffed animal." He tried to gently pry the unicorn away from her mouth but Emma gripped on tightly, letting out a whining cry again.

Snow rolled her eyes with a smirk. James grinned as he made his way over to his desk with Emma and opened his drawer. He pulled out her rattle and offered it to her as compensation. "If you want to put something in your mouth, sweetie, this will do," he offered his daughter and she immediately stopped crying as she reached for the new attraction with her other hand. She shook it a few times before putting it to her mouth. James smiled and then turned back to Snow, wiggling his eyebrows. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Snow raised her eyebrows at him in return. "Abandoning your responsibilities, are we now, Charming?" she teased.

James pouted his lips in mock offense as he shifted Emma to his other shoulder. "Aw, come on. A man needs a break to spend time with his family," James grinned.

Snow smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. "Well I think it sounds like a lovely idea."

James' face lit up as he realized that he would actually get his wish. "Great. I'll prepare the horses. You go talk to Alice. I'm sure she could help pack our lunch into a picnic."

Snow eyed him. "A picnic? I just thought you meant a stroll in the gardens or something. I didn't think you actually had a picnic in mind."

James smiled. "I miss the picnics that we used to go on before Emma was born. Now, she can come with us."

Snow pursed her lips in contemplation. "You do realize that this will be Emma's first horse ride, right?"

James nodded. "You're right," he said and then grinned. "This does mark a special occasion." He reached up to gently dance his fingers up his daughter's stomach as his baby removed her mouth from the rattle to let out a sweet laugh, "Doesn't it, little one?"

"You sure she's ready?" Snow asked worriedly.

James beamed at his daughter. "She almost a month old. I'm sure no time would be better."

Snow gave in with a smile. "Alright then. Emma's first horse ride and picnic it is."

* * *

James had just finished saddling up the horses as he helped Snow wrap a sheet of strong fabric around her, turning it into a baby sling. "Looks good," he noted and Snow reached around her to make sure the contraption was tightly secure. She then hoisted herself onto her horse and James carefully passed her baby Emma.

"There you go, Emma," James soothed as Snow reached out to gently lay her daughter against her chest into the folds of the sling and the girl stretched her arms before burying her face into her mother's body. Snow smiled and made sure her baby was settled comfortably one more time.

"Ready?" she looked down at her husband.

James grinned. "You bet."

He fastened the picnic basket to his own horse and then mounted. With a starting canter, the family trotted off steadily into the forest.

Snow smiled to herself as she remembered how she and James used to race each other. Of course, with Emma with them, that was now out of the question, but it still made her laugh to think back to all the times she had beaten him only to have him beat her the next time in retaliation. _I had let you win, my love_, he would jokingly tell her as he tried to catch his breath. She would only roll her eyes and stick her tongue out at him in return.

Snow kept glancing down at Emma every couple of seconds to make sure that her daughter was not bothered by the new experience. Emma just gazed back at her mother with bright eyes as she continued sucking on the rattle. James noticed this.

"How's our little girl doing?" he asked with a smile.

Snow smiled back at him. "Good. I think she actually likes the motion."

James chuckled as he nudged on his horse to come side-by-side with that of his wife's. "That's definitely a good sign for later on in her future."

Snow rolled her eyes and reached down with one hand to brush her thumb across her baby's cheek. Emma smiled back at her.

Suddenly, they came into the clearing of the meadow. Snow let out a sweet laugh as it brought back many good memories of her times with her husband. "It's good to be back here," she exclaimed with a content sigh.

James smiled as he began to pull his horse to a halt. "I know exactly what you mean." He dismounted and tied his horse to a log and then held onto Snow's horse's reins with one hand as he reached up for Emma with the other. Snow gently lifted Emma from the sling and then carefully passed their baby to her husband. James then grasped Emma underneath her arms again and raised her up into the air. "Did you like you first ride, Emma?" he asked her with a baby voice, leaning his head up to nuzzle her nose. Emma giggled sweetly and Snow laughed as well as she dismounted her own horse and then brought it over to tie to the log beside James' horse.

Husband and wife took a moment to look around them and reminisce, soaking in the sight of the sunlight, wild flowers, and soft, abundant, green grass. James leaned his lips close to Emma's ear. "Mommy and I used to come here all the time," he told his daughter softly and Snow smiled beside him.

James then handed Emma back to his wife so that he could go prepare the picnic. He reached inside the wicker basket and pulled out a checkered blanket, shaking it to free it from its folds before spreading it onto the grassy ground. Snow sat down with Emma in her lap and James fell to lay sprawl across the blanket, throwing one arm over his eyes in complete relaxation. He then moved the arm to the side slightly to peek out and see his wife lovingly gaze back at him. Smiling widely, he sat up to pull her into a kiss. Their contact didn't last long for Emma soon reached her small hand up in between them, seeking attention. James laughed as he lied back down and pulled his daughter with him and set her to sit on his abdomen. Snow fell to lie next to him on her stomach and reached her hand up to rub her baby's back as Emma continued to sit on her father's front side with the rattle still brought up to her mouth in between shakes.

"I bet this surely beats working on realm treaties," Snow teased.

James let out a snort. "You have no idea."

The family lied in silence for several moments, completely in bliss as the breeze gently brushed across their faces and hair. Emma moved forward to place her hands on her father's chest and James helped her to lie down across his torso, reaching a hand up to rub her back. After more content silence, James and Snow had thought that their daughter had fallen asleep when suddenly, some moments later, Emma let out that familiar cry.

"Oh no. It's that time again," Snow sighed.

"She's getting restless, isn't she?" James asked.

"And hungry," Snow added as she sat up, bringing a fitful Emma into her lap. James rolled to his side and propped himself up on his elbow, the side of his head resting supported on his hand. Snow leaned against him into his side as she prepared to nurse Emma, her eyes quickly scanning around them first.

"Don't worry, Snow. It's just us here," James reassured her.

Snow smiled and then proceeded to feed Emma, letting out a relieved sigh as her baby was immediately pacified at the prospect of food. James reached over to grab an extra blanket from the basket and draped it over his wife's shoulder to lightly conceal Emma's head and that side of Snow's body. He then moved his hand up to gently massage Snow's shoulder as he looked on in awe at his daughter.

After Emma was fed and burped, James stood up and carried Emma around with him across the meadow, walking around as he bounced her gently in his arms, rocking her to sleep while Snow prepared for her and her husband's picnic lunch.

When Emma was finally sound asleep, James brought her back over to the blanket and quietly sat down with her head still rested on his shoulder. Snow smiled and brought the grape she was holding up to his mouth and he grinned before taking it in between his teeth while still caressing his daughter's back as she slept. Snow then reached her hand up to brush across her daughter's head.

"Happy first picnic, my sweet, sweet girl," she said softly in her baby's ear.

* * *

**I got the family picnic idea from my one-shot story, "The Savior," so feel free to go check out that other story if you want. If you've already read it, I hope this was not repetitive even though this is more fluff and the other is more drama and angst but I really wanted to write about Emma's _first_ picnic. I guess this entire story can be seen in the same AU as "The Savior," so this kind of introduces where the tradition in the latter comes from.**

**Hope you all enjoyed and please, please review :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Baby Emma was so adorable in Episode 20 and made me cry…**

**Anyway, thank you for all the reviews everybody! Keep 'em coming :)**

* * *

This would be Snow's first time apart from her baby since Emma was born almost two months ago. She had received a letter from her dear friend Ella reporting that Ella had just given birth. Snow wanted to be there to support and congratulate her friend but since little Emma was still much too young to travel such far distances, Snow would be going alone while her husband would remain at their home and take care of Emma by himself.

"Send Ella and the new baby my love and tell Thomas that we'll hold off on that hunting trip until he can regain stable sleeping hours," James teased as he bounced Emma from his shoulder. "Actually, when we _both_ have regained normal sleeping hours."

Snow winked with a smile and James used his free hand to brace her arm, helping her into the carriage while some palace staff scurried out with her bags to load into the back.

As soon as she sat down, her smile slowly faltered, growing anxious. "Now remember that there's enough milk for five days. I know I'll only be gone for three but there's more just in case. I left them with Clara and-"

James didn't let her finish her worried rambling for he ducked down to incase her lips with his own to ease her apprehension.

"We'll be fine," he murmured soothingly against her lips, stroking her cheek before pulling back to smile at Emma, bouncing her gently on his hip, "Won't we, cutie pie?"

Emma let out a peal of giggles and James pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead before turning back to look at his wife seated in the carriage. "I promise we'll be alright, Snow."

Snow rolled her eyes with a smile and then saw a knight approach them from behind James.

"Your Majesties, we best get going. The horses are all ready to go."

James noticed the anxiety return to his wife's face and then passed their daughter to her to hold. Snow hugged her daughter tightly and then placed a loving kiss to her baby's crown before pulling her husband down for another kiss.

"You be safe," he told her, pressing a last kiss to her forehead before looking down to glance at his daughter seated in his wife's lap. "Say goodbye to Mommy, Emma."

Snow smiled widely as Emma looked up at her mother with wide eyes, tiny hands reaching up to touch her face and Snow ducked her head down to allow her daughter to do so. Emma aimlessly traced her soft hand over her mother's mouth and Snow laughed sweetly as she turned her lips to press a kiss to her daughter's fingers and then lifted her hand to trace down the thin wisps of her daughter's newly maturing hair. A small whimper escaped Snow's throat when both she and James realized that it was time for her to go and she handed her baby back to her husband.

As the guard closed the carriage door behind her, Snow pressed her face up against the window and James grasped Emma's hand to wave back at her mother. "Bye-bye, Mommy," James imitated with a high baby voice and he succeeded in making his wife smile through the window.

Snow rolled her eyes and mouthed the word "Charming" sassily back at him as the horses pulled the carriage away. She blew a last kiss from the back window at her husband and daughter.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me, princess," James told his daughter softly as they watched the last glimpses of the white carriage disappear above the horizon and he made his way back into the castle with Emma in his arms.

* * *

The first room he went to was the nursery. Snow had made sure to feed Emma before she left but Emma now needed to be changed. He removed her baby dress and set his daughter down on the changing table, politely waving away Clara and the other nursemaids who followed and hovered in tow offering to help. He and Snow had always wanted to do everything themselves anytime that they could. He then made funny faces, sticking out his tongue at his daughter as she laughed and giggled and babbled while he changed her diaper.

When she was nice and clean, he couldn't resist ducking his head down to blow kisses into her stomach and tickled her toes, sending the infant into more fits of delightful giggles. Laughing along with his daughter, he dressed her and then exited the nursery, heading down the corridors with her in his arms. He didn't get very far when a page boy approached him.

"Your Majesty, Lords Carleton and Hadwell have arrived."

James sighed and then forced a smile at the boy. "Thank you Bradford. Tell them I will be down shortly."

The boy smiled in return and then retreated with a curt bow.

To his annoyance, duty has called and James pressed a kiss to his daughter's head. "Daddy will have to play with you later, my love."

He returned to the nursery and sought out Clara, handing his daughter to her head nursemaid. With Snow gone, this would be Clara's first time taking this much responsibility for his daughter but he fully trusted her.

"I'll take good care of the little princess, Your Highness," she reassured him.

He smiled at her. "I know you will. My wife has given you the milk, correct?"

Clara nodded. "Yes, Sir."

James nodded in return. "Good." He turned to his daughter, leaning in his kiss her cheek. "I will see you later, darling," he told her before heading downstairs towards the conference hall.

* * *

James couldn't sit still throughout his meeting. Granted, this wasn't his first conference since Emma was born (he had such meetings almost on a daily basis), but this would certainly be the first time that she wasn't with either him or Snow for such a long period. He knew Clara would do an excellent job but he wasn't very sure how his infant daughter would handle this strange situation. He chuckled internally to himself as he realized that they had indeed spoiled her with attention.

As his advisors and counsels droned on and on about border enforcements, tariffs, and agricultural reports, he couldn't help drumming his fingers lightly on the bureau top, getting antsy with anticipation for the meeting's end so that he could return to his daughter. When it was finally time for the conference to come to a close, he swiftly rose from his seat and thanked the men in attendance, barely remembering to shake every one of their hands before exiting the Great Hall to return to the nursery. For some reason, he could sense that something was wrong.

As he approached the nursery, his instincts were confirmed before he even turned the corner, for nothing was more distinct than the sound of his daughter's loud crying. It pained him to hear the strain of her cries, sounding as if they had carried on for some time now. As he got closer, he could also hear the panic in Clara's voice as she tried to gently soothe and hush the baby.

When she saw his figure at the doorframe, Clara froze with Emma in her arms and went still. She then immediately bowed her head in shame. "I-I've tried everything Your Highness. I-I really did, but she won't stop. I've tried giving her her bottle but she only pushes it away and-"

James walked forward, trying to calm the maid. "It's quite alright, Clara. Emma can be quite the feisty baby. There's nothing to worry about. Let me try," he reassured the frightened woman with a warm smile as he extended his arms for his daughter. She handed her to him.

Emma's crying lessened upon being placed in her father's arms but did not cease. Her face was still flushed bright red from strained crying. "She must be hungry," James muttered to himself and reached for the still-full bottle. "It's okay, sweetheart. Daddy's here," he soothed as he patted her back. The crying continued. He then tried bringing the bottle up to her lips. "It's okay, sweetie. It's okay," he continued but Emma only shifted her face and pushed the bottle away.

His pride wounded, James headed back down the corridors with Emma and tried to rock her in his arms as she continued wailing. When he entered his and his wife's bedchambers, James sat down in the rocking chair and tried the bottle again and again. Emma still refused. "What is it you want, Emma, sweetheart? Please tell me so I can help you," he pleaded.

Emma continued crying to the point that James was afraid that she would choke. He then realized that Emma was not very used to drinking from a bottle. _Nothing I can do about that_, he thought to himself with a weary chuckle. It then hit him that maybe his wife's smell would help. He got up and headed into their closet, pulling out one of Snow's nightdresses from her wardrobe. Smirking to himself, he draped the dress across his shoulder, hoping that Emma would recognize the familiar scent. She did. Her crying got softer and softer until it stopped completely and she opened to tear-soaked eyes to gaze up and her father before burying her face into the fabric of her mother's dress. He smiled brightly as he settled back down into the rocking chair. "There you go, sweetie pie. I'm sorry I'm not Mommy."

She began fussing and whimpering again and James sighed and this time tried very cautiously to offer her the bottle again. She looked at it and was about to push away, but hunger overpowered her and she latched on. Letting out another sigh in relief, James rocked the chair gently and looked on as he continued feeding her. After her initial rejection, it surprised him that she sucked the milk so vigorously but the incessant crying must have exhausted her as well.

"What a stubborn baby, you are," he whispered softly with a smile.

He continued holding the bottle steady until Emma completely drained it. James then burped her gently and continued rocking her until she fell asleep. He was exhausted himself. Whenever Emma cried, she was actually quite easily soothed, much to both his and Snow's delight. They were advised that they should let her cry it out sometimes before picking her up right away but James couldn't bear the thought of her pained cries. He shook his head to himself with a smirk. _We really do spoil her indeed_.

After he was sure that Emma was sound asleep, James walked back to the nursery and placed her down in her crib, lingering to sweep his fingers down her cheek. He wanted nothing more than to stay here and just be here with her while she slept but reluctantly realized that he would have to go on with his other responsibilities. With a last playful twirl of his daughter's unicorn mobile and a nod and a smile to Clara, he left the nursery and headed out to the training fields.

When he reached the fields, he could see some knights joking with each other and stifling some laughs at his arrival. He eyed them.

"Okay, out with it," he commanded jovially.

His head knight, Sir William, grinned widely. "The little princess has quite the lungs, m'Lord."

James rolled his eyes with a smile. "How bad was it?"

William tried to suppress another laugh. "We could hear it all the way out here in the fields, Sir."

James knew his daughter was loud but didn't think her cries could have reached _that_ far. "Well in her defense, her bedroom has one of the closest windows to the fields," he realized.

William shrugged. "Whatever you say, Sir," he remarked with a grin and a wiggle of the eyebrows.

James stood his ground and rolled his eyes again. "Okay, enough about my daughter. We have work to do."

* * *

When James returned from a hard day's work of training, he immediately went to the nursery to see Emma. Seeing that she was still asleep, he approached his daughter and only placed his hands on the rim of the crib – he was still sweaty from training and would have to bathe first – and gazed at her for a few seconds before taking his leave, nodding to Clara on the way out.

He quickly bathed and then returned to the nursery. Emma was now awake and Clara was smiling as she held the baby. She made a curt bow of the head at his arrival and then proceeded to give a full report. "She's awake now, Your Highness. She did cry upon waking up but it didn't take as long as the first time for me to soothe her. I've also just changed her diaper."

James was grateful for all her help. "Thank you so much Clara," he smiled.

She beamed in return. "Would you like to spend time with her? I could handle her if you have more duties to attend to."

James shook his head. "No, thankfully, I'm done for the day so I would love to spend some time with her before supper."

Clara smiled as she handed Emma to her father and then left the room.

James smiled down at his daughter as he cradled her in his arms. "You gave everyone quite the scare today, sweetheart," he teased her, touching the tip of her nose with his fingertips as she giggled. "You've also now established quite the reputation."

He walked over to the shelf and reached for the play blanket, spreading it on the floor and then set Emma down on it before gathering some of her toys.

He looked in her toy chest for her favorites and then spread them across the blanket around her. He then lied down on his stomach across the carpet as he watched her explore and amuse herself, occasionally helping her reach for a new toy across the blanket.

When she reached for one too far, she fell forward gently but he was right there to catch her, taking the moment to tickle her and appreciate her wonderful laugh.

Father and daughter played up until suppertime and Clara returned to give Emma her bath so James could head downstairs for his meal.

As his food was placed in front of him in the dining hall, James looked at the empty seat beside him and frowned. He wondered what Snow was doing at this very moment. He thought to himself that she was most likely enjoying the banquet that Thomas and Emma were holding to celebrate Princess Alexandra's birth and gazed out the window in the direction of his friends' kingdom, where his wife would be.

* * *

Realms away, Snow looked out the window of the dining hall from her seat at the banquet table in the direction of her own kingdom. Ella noticed and nudged her gently in the shoulder. "Snow, dear, everything alright?"

Shaking herself back to the present, Snow looked back at her friend with a bright smile. "Oh, everything's fine Ella. I just miss Emma and James, that's all."

Ella gave her an understanding smile in return. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you had to leave your family to be here for me."

Snow leaned over and gave her best friend a hug. "Of course, Ella! I'm so happy to be here! Alexandra is just so precious! And oh, just look at the way Thomas gazes at her!"

Ella laughed and hugged her friend again in return.

* * *

James held his daughter in his arms, gazing at her lovingly. When he had returned from supper, Emma was freshly bathed, fed, and ready for bed.

He settled himself into the armchair in the nursery with Emma in his lap and opened up her favorite storybook. Every night, he and his wife would snuggle together on this armchair with their daughter in their laps, each reading to her a little before bed. It felt odd to him to be doing this alone. "Which one will it be tonight, Emma?" He flipped through the pages until he reached a page where Emma stuck out her hand at a pretty picture of a bridge – troll bridge to be exact. "Good choice, sweetie pie." As he settled in more comfortably into the soft chair, he cleared his throat before beginning.

"Once upon a time…"

* * *

He was humming softly, a tune that Snow would hum every night to their daughter. Looking down, he saw that she was fast asleep. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Emma. Mommy loves you too. Good night, my sweet girl."

He placed her down in the crib and for moments, just brushed his hand across her cheek as he watched her sleep peacefully.

He finally got up, blew out the candle, and walked down the corridors to return to his own chambers where he would lie alone on the vast bed that night.

* * *

As he lied on the four-poster bed reading, he could swear he heard something distant down the halls. He closed his book and sat up straighter, straining his ears to listen. And he heard it: the unmistakable sound of his daughter crying. Sighing, he threw back the covers, got up to put on a night robe, and made his way around the corner of the corridors.

He approached the nursery at the exact same time as Clara, who quickly moved to wrap her own night robe tighter around her nightgown as she gave him a quick curtsey. "Pardon me, Your Highness, but I'll take care of Miss Emma."

He shook his head, giving her a warm smile. "Nonsense, Clara, you've been more than helpful today. Why don't you resume your rest? I'll handle it tonight."

"Are you sure, Your Majesty? I really don't mind…"

He was already halfway through the door as his daughter's crying got louder and louder. "I'm positive. Now you go off to bed and don't worry about a thing."

She bowed gratefully and turned back around to return to her quarters. James smiled to himself at Clara's nervousness. She had only been recently hired and this wasn't her first time tending to Emma in the middle of the night but it was usually Snow (or both he and Snow together) who joined her upon Emma's cries at these late hours.

James approached the crib and peered in to see his fussy daughter wailing. He picked her up and cradled her once more in his arms. "Shh…shh…Daddy's here, Emma. Daddy's here…"

Emma looked up at him momentarily but then resumed her crying. James didn't know how she knew, but Emma could definitely sense her mother's absence.

When her crying continued, James carried her back around the corner to his own chambers.

* * *

Snow stared out the balcony to her guest bedchamber as she ran a brush through her hair. She had considered sending a messenger bird back home but decided that she should trust James to be able to take care of things and that the long distance at this time of night was not worth the energy of a bird.

_Emma must be asleep by now_, she thought to herself.

* * *

James embraced Emma in his arms as he attempted to calm her. "Shh…shh…my love. Go to sleep…go to sleep…"

He stared out the balcony to their bedchambers. "I wish you were here, Snow. Why can't I get her to calm down like you do?" he asked softly into the night.

He walked around the room with her in his arms, cradled her in the rocking chair, and rocked her from her bassinet - nothing soothed her, not even her mother's nightgown.

Finally, after what seemed like almost an hour of restlessness, James grasped her under the arms and brought her up to level her face with his. "Now you listen to me, Princess Emma. I know that I am not your mother but Mommy's not here right now and there's nothing that I can do about that so you're just going have to deal with me, okay? Can you please deal with Daddy for just another two days? Please?" he pleaded.

Emma immediately stopped crying, to James' amazement. He smiled at her and brought her back to his shoulder, tilting his head to kiss her crown. "There…there…everything's okay now, see?" Emma clawed her hand up to touch his face and smiled as he kissed her palm, taking the opportunity to playfully nip at her fingertips with his lips. She giggled and then snuggled her face back into the curve of his neck. He continued rubbing her back until she fell asleep. Letting out a breath in relief, he gently placed her back in the bassinet and sat down on the edge of the bed, gazing at her as he continued to rock the cradle. They had begun letting Emma sleep in the nursery a little over two weeks now but the prospect of his daughter back in the same room as him for the night comforted him and he hummed softly as he continued rocking the cradle, watching her tiny fists curl up in her slumber.

When or how he fell asleep he had no idea but James awoke to the sight of sunlight peeping through the windows and the sound of Emma fussing quietly beside him. He immediately sat up in bed and leaned over the bassinet. "Good morning, sweet pea," he smiled. "We both made it through the night."

* * *

The next two days moved rather smoothly, to everyone's relief. Emma would cry as normal but it took much less energy to comfort her with each time. She had begun getting used to just her father. James realized that the past three days had given him more chances to develop a balanced routine of spending time with his daughter in the midst of his duties.

"Wasn't it worth it to stick it out with me?" he asked his daughter teasingly as they stood at the entrance to the castle, waiting for Snow's carriage to pull up. She gurgled in return and he laughed as he placed a kiss to her crown.

When James could see the figure of the carriage approach, his heart raced knowing that he would soon be reunited with his wife. Three days felt like an eternity to him and as the guard opened the carriage door, Snow was faced with his broad grin.

"Welcome home, Snow," James breathed out huskily at seeing her beautiful face.

Snow almost leaped from the carriage and into his arms, their daughter tucked perfectly between them, immediately capturing his lips with her own. "It's good to be home," Snow breathed out in return into the skin of his jaw.

James smiled and immediately passed a fussy Emma to her mother. Even the sight of Snow's face through the carriage window had sent Emma reaching out, struggling in her father's arms to come into contact with her mother.

Snow tightly embraced her daughter, attempting to make up for three days' worth of torture at not being able to hold her and then looked to her husband. "Everything okay while I was gone?"

James grinned again. "It was perfect. Everything was perfect."

* * *

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